Goodbye Sweet Buffett

[Blueberry]

We've had a very rough pet year. We lost our Maltese in March, and today we had to put our 11 year old kitty to sleep.

We adopted Garfield and Buffett from a shelter when they were just 3 weeks old. We bottle fed them, and nursed them through upper respiratory infections. We were in college - really still kids ourselves when we got them. Buffett was always the sweet, dainty little kitty. A grey tabby, with very soft fur who loved to meow and be petted. We called her the self petting cat. She loved everyone and everyone loved her. And she always greeted us when we came home. If the didn't greet us, it meant there was a "Buffalump" - she would tunnel under the covers (without disturbing them) and go to sleep. The only sign would be a lump under the covers. It was adorable. She and her brother would sleep in a little circle - orange on one side, gray on the other.

She had been sleeping a lot - my cats always do that in the fall. On Thursday morning, we noticed she was a little wobbly. On Friday morning, she was very weak, and her gums were white. I took her to my vet, and they immediately referred her to NC State Veterinary School. She had leukemia. Not feline leukemia, the virus, but effectively the same version people get. It's very rare in cats, and there weren't really any treatment options. After a long telephone call to my vet last night, we decided not to treat her. The treatment options, such as they were, had a very poor prognosis, and would have meant lots of time boarded for her - for maybe an extra week or 2 of life. We put her to sleep today - she had weakened so much since last night (she was panting by the time we got her to the vet), but her last day was sleeping in the sunshine. For the last 24 hours of her life, someone was always petting her.

My house seems so empty right now. And somehow I have to pack and get on a plane in the AM.

Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.

Rest in peace, little Buffett. We were privileged to share our life with you.

[mary9761]

Hugs and kitty nuzzles from my two (Whiskers and Friskey) and I. I'm so sorry, having been there with my Smokey, I know how hard a decision it is to let go. She'll be waiting for you at The Rainbow Bridge looking forward to seeing you again some day.

[redrhodie]

I'm so sorry, CA. You made the right decision. Poor kitty. I know she had a good life because she was yours.

[oxysback]

I'm so sorry for your loss, CA. :(

[pardes]

I'm sorry for your sadness. Sweet Buffett takes lovely memories of you to paradise. It's small comfort now, I know, but, as you know, the sadness of loss soon blossoms as the sweet memories return.

I often think that the very long line of dogs I've had have found each other and will be there together to greet me when it's my turn to take my sweet memories of life with me to paradise.

[crazycanuck]

Awww :( Poor kitty..

(((CA )))

[buddha_bellies]

I'm so sorry to hear about your lost. Hugs and nose bump from our kitty Kenobi.

[Zen]

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
But go ahead and cry anyway. I can tell Buffett was much loved and am so sorry for your loss.

[badgercat]

I'm sorry for your loss. It's wonderful that her last hours were spent with love, though. It reminds me very much of when my family's cat Neutie passed away. His health had been failing for months, and my parents were due to take him in to the vet to be put to sleep the next morning. My dad sat with him all night... and Neutie passed away on his own before dawn.

I was only 7 years old when Neutie died... I was very sad that he was gone, but at the time, I didn't understand how beautiful it was that my dad held him and petted him for the last hours of his life. It was my dad who had brought him home 22 years earlier as a stray kitten (the story goes that after finding the kitty curled up asleep in a tire in the shop where he worked, he carried him home in a bucket... in my mind I like to imagine him presenting this kitten to my mom and saying "Can we keep it?!" :o)

I hope Buffett and Neutie say hello to each other sometime, and trade stories about how loving their human parents were. :)

[wildhawk]

Love and prayers to you in your sorrow and loss of your precious pet. We lost our 15 yr. old kitty a few months ago and my other kitty is 14. It has always seemed frustrating to me that a turtle or parrot can outlive humans, but our cats and dogs get 15 years on average - time passes so quickly.

[Pax]

I'm so sorry for your loss, your kitty sounds like such a little sweetie. :(

[spindizzy]

((((((CA))))))

A last day in the sunshine...surrounded by love. I am sorry for your loss.

[arielmoon]

{{{CA}}}

It's never easy to make the decision, but be thankful you could keep her from suffering. Sorry for your loss.

[OakLeaf]

(((((((CA)))))))

Just the other day we visited the park where our dogs' ashes are scattered. It was a lovely fall day and I could feel them around me, healthy and strong. And I realized that they are always with me; it's just that being in the place where we left their physical remains helps me be with them.

May your pain be brief, and may your memories of Buffet become a comfort to you.

[wackyjacky1]

:( I'm so sorry. :(

[Red Rock]

Sorry to hear of your loss. At least you were able to spend the last day together in the sunshine and happiness. Sounds like you all had quite the life together.

Best wishes,
Red Rock

[smilingcat]

I am sorry to hear of your loss.

He had a wonderful last days sunning himself and you gave him dignity. It is never easy and no matter how many times, we all cry.

I wish Buffet well and give your self a good cry CA. you are great mom.

sincerely,
smilingcat

[carpaltunnel]

CA, I'm so sorry.

[bikerchic]

So sorry CA for your loss. :(

[ccnyc]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Head butts from Mr. Moon and Mojo.

[badger]

I'm so very sorry for your loss. I'm going through the exact same thing having had to put my dog to sleep 2 weeks ago. Even though he was old and it was something I thought I was prepared for, it was still devastating. I still cry pretty much every day, and I miss him SOOOO much.

So many of us know how you feel, hugs to you, and take care of yourself. And you can smile later, it's okay to cry right now.

[maillotpois]

oh CA - big hug to you! :(

[sbctwin]

{{{{{CA}}}}} I am so sorry for your loss.

[carpaltunnel]

Badger, DH and I lost our little cat Tuffy at 16 in April and felt the way you described for months. I'm feeling for you. We still felt sadness in August when we adopted a cat from the Humane Society. She is the neatest little cat and having her has helped a lot, but we still miss Tuff. Go ahead and cry, it's ok to miss that loving little soul that graced your life for so long. Everyone's different - I pray every day, so I pray "Thank You for giving us Tuffy to love." We miss them because we were so grateful to have them in our lives. Many hugs to you.

[LBTC]

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{CA}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Sending butterflies full of love and wonder to you in your time of loss and sadness. You had a beautiful time together. May you continue to feel Buffett's love in your heart forever.

I've asked my Yogi, Bill, Ted, Norton, Giro and Leonard to greet him at the Rainbow Bridge.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[bmccasland]

Big hugs CA. Bonnie, Herald, and Cali send loving purrs. We're so sorry for your loss.

Erin and Branwen will greet Buffett in the special TE section of the Rainbow Bridge. There's always a warm spot in the sun, and butterflies flittng about for entertainment, and all the dogs know to be nice to kitties.

[Blueberry]

Thank you all so very much. Your words mean more than you possibly can know. There have been many tears - I just included to quote to remind myself of all of the good times. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

We did go to San Diego, and are still here. I'm sure everything will hit again when I get home, but I've tried to focus on the joy in life this week. I do think going ahead and leaving was a good thing (my DH had to go, and I don't think it would have done me much good to stay home and mourn - which is what I would have done). And I understand from the multiple friends who are staying with my other kitty in shifts to make sure he doesn't get lonely that he's doing OK. That's a relief.

CA